1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marking on an article, item or substrate, which marking comprises at least two different components, i.e., a printable code and a chiral liquid crystal polymer layer that covers at least a part of the printable code.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Counterfeiting is no longer a national or a regional problem but a worldwide problem which has an impact not only on manufacturers but also on the consumer. Counterfeiting is a significant problem with goods like clothes and watches but becomes even more serious when it affects medicines and drugs. Each year thousands of people around the world die because of counterfeit drugs. Counterfeiting has also an impact on government revenues in that it affects the collection of taxes for, e.g., cigarettes and alcohol because of the existence of a black market where it is impossible to track and trace counterfeit (smuggled, diverted, etc.) products with no valid tax stamps.
Many solutions have been proposed to make counterfeiting impossible or at least very difficult and/or costly, for example RFID solutions and the use of invisible inks or mono-dimensional code or bi-dimensional code as unique identifier to avoid or at least to limit drastically the existence of fake, diversion and/or counterfeit. Despite the fact that these solutions are useful, also counterfeiters now have access to many advanced technologies that allow them to reproduce or to mimic existing security devices which are sometimes presented as unique identifier.
Another solution which also exists in the field of packaging or as a protection for items or goods and is mainly used for pharmaceuticals packaging are tamper evident structures or void tamper security evident structures which in themselves are not unique identifiers, but serve as indication when these structures have been altered that a manipulation of a packaging or an item or good has occurred. Despite the strong interest to see whether or not a packaging has been subject to manipulation, the main weaknesses of these structures are that they can be reproduced (even if it remains difficult) and their lack of uniqueness and ability to provide track and trace information.
There is then a crucial need to improve the security and avoid fake, diversion or counterfeiting of goods, items or packaging containing valuable products, which must be satisfied. There also is a crucial need to not only protect consumers from not obtaining genuine products, but very often as it could happen in some developing countries, to save people from health problems or even death due to the use of fake medicines. There is then a crucial need to be satisfied to provide unique identifiers useful for authentication, able to provide track and trace information or identification, remaining robust and having tamperproof properties.